


The Black and Gold

by classicalbughead



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, High School, Love/Hate, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-02-08 03:35:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12855891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/classicalbughead/pseuds/classicalbughead
Summary: Jughead Jones, Prince of the Southside, transfers to Riverdale High and begins working at The Blue and Gold with Betty Cooper, the perfect girl next door.They are completely different, but when the Serpents get framed for the abduction of a Northside girl, Jughead and Betty take matters into their own hands and begin investigating.Are they doomed to end like Romeo and Juliet?





	1. Riverdale High

Jughead Jones was tired. Why did this shit school have to begin so damn early? He hated that whole thing about “attending a more sophisticated school”. Like, really dad? Southside High would do just fine. And he also had to leave Sweet Pea in charge. 

The Serpent Prince wasn’t one to give up his power, but even a prince had to bow to the king. And FP decided that Jughead was “way too smart” to waste his time at that trash can that they called Southside High.  
Despite his father saying he had to at least look normal, he put on his Serpent jacket. Everybody should know who he was, even these weirdos at Riverdale High. Before he darted out the door, FP grabbed him by his arm. 

“Listen, son,” he began, his eyes narrowing, “I want you to take this seriously. It wasn’t easy convincing Weatherbee to give you this spot. He just did it because I called in a favor. I really want you to give your best…Please.” The last word he just whispered. Jughead nodded. 

“I know dad it’s just…I don’t want to leave Sweet Pea and Toni and the others alone…These people at Riverdale High…They’re different. I don’t think I would fit in,” Jughead answered cheerlessly. 

FP looked at him seriously: “Look, I know you think that you would be better off at Southside High, but just give your new school a chance. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I made.”  
“I understand, dad. I will do my best.” FP gave Jughead one of his rare smiles. 

“Oh, don’t forget that,” he quickly said, pressing Jugheads characteristic crown shaped beanie into his hands, “Maybe it’ll become a fashion trend.” Jughead grimaced, but he put on the beanie and left the trailer. 

***

On his way through the snow to his bike, he thought about what his father had said. He wasn’t angry with him. Actually, what FP had said was true. The teachers at Southside High still tried to explain the difference between adverb and adjective to his classmates. 

But he couldn’t leave Sweet Pea or Fangs or Toni. The Ghoulies had been even more brutal in the last few weeks than ever before and Jughead was the only one who could keep the Serpents from doing anything stupid. Being the son of FP Jones had quite an impact. 

But coming from a school where he had been the most popular guy, to going to a school where he would be the social outcast was a tremendous change. 

The sun was beginning to rise when he arrived at Riverdale High. He parked his bike and went on to the large doors that marked the entrance of the school. 

“Fancy,” Jughead muttered as he stepped into the graffiti less halls. 

Though it was still pretty early some students already stood in front of their lockers making small talk with their fellow classmates. Jughead sighted. Riverdale High was completely different from its counterpart on the Southside. Everything was in bright colors and the students also seemed somewhat cultivated. But still…Jughead kind of missed the smell of the rotting walls at Southside High or the sound of the Ghoulies, which were high on some Jingle Jangle, once again vandalizing a classroom. 

“Hey,” a voice behind him said and Jughead winced. 

He hadn’t thought he would get picked on so early. Surely it was the hat. Maybe he should have left it at home, but that beanie was his safety. A safety he especially needed at a place like this, where he stood out like a bride at a funeral. 

When he turned around his fists clenched. Years of being with the Serpent and expecting every moment for some Ghoulie to punch you have given him quite a training. Jughead had always preferred the power of words, but people like the Ghoulies weren’t that bright. 

Behind him leaning against a locker he saw the boy, which the voice belonged to. 

“Hey, I’m Archie. Archie Andrews. I should…umm…show you around, I guess. You’re Forsythe, right?” Jughead exhaled. The boy had broad shoulders and a friendly looking face, but Jughead didn’t let himself be fooled by his façade. For all, he knew this boy could become his arch enemy. 

“Please never call me that again. I’m Jughead…Jones.” The ginger-haired boy, Archie he remembered, grinned: “Well then, Jughead, follow me.” 

***

Half an hour later Archie and Jughead found themselves on the school grounds. 

“So here we have our football field,” Archie explained gesturing to his right. 

“Do you play?”, Jughead asked, although he already knew the answer judging by what shape Archie was in. 

“Yes…do you want to join the team? I could arrange…” 

“I’m good thanks…not much of a sportsperson,” Jughead said after he and Archie had crossed the field. 

“Noted,” Archie grinned 

“Do you have something like a creative writing course?”, Jughead asked. 

If he wouldn’t follow in FPs footsteps, he really wanted to become a writer one day. He had always liked reading but writing was his remedy. He could pour his soul into words like others into music. 

“We have the Blue and Gold…,” Archie remarked. 

“The school newspaper?” Archie nodded. 

“I never would have taken you for a writer.” Jughead shrugged. At least this would be something fun to do at this godforsaken school. 

“I think the right thing to said would be: Never judge a book by its’ cover,” he smirked. 

“I guess you’re right, Jughead. So, do you want to check it out?”, Archie asked hopefully. 

“Sounds great.” 

“One of my best friends is running it. But you may have to show her some of your work, she can be very picky,” Archie confessed rubbing the back of his neck. 

“I understand,” Jughead admitted, though he wasn’t very keen on letting another person read his private thoughts, “So who is this mystery lady?” 

Archie led Jughead to the end of the main corridor, where he stopped at a door with the letters B&G engraved into it. The door opened with a loud squeak. On the inside, there were lots of shelves packed with books and old issues of The Blue and Gold. He could smell the familiar scent of books and paper that he loved so much. 

“This is Jughead Jones,” he heard Archie say, while he was still looking at the books. They were sorted chronically alongside the whole wall. It was very satisfying to look at. Slowly he turned his attention to the person sitting behind the wooden table behind a computer. Her green eyes were staring at him when she opened her pink lips. 

“I’m Betty Cooper.” 

***

Betty Cooper had always followed the rules. Her whole life she had tried to be the perfect girl next door.  
But when she saw that Serpent standing in her office, she felt as if she was committing some sort of crime. Archie, co-captain of the football team and part-time singer, looked from her to the boy, who had been introduced to her as Jughead. What an odd name. That couldn’t be his real one, or? She cleared her throat. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Jughead. I believe this is your first day here?” The boy nodded, and Betty's gaze got stuck on the crown shaped beanie placed on top of his dark curls. She had never seen anything like it. Was this some sort of Serpent symbolism? 

“I was wondering if I could work with you at The Blue and Gold? Back at Southside High, I wrote for The Black and Red, but it got canceled due to financial issues,” Jughead explained not breaking eye contact with her. 

Betty was surprised. A serpent? In her office? Wanting to work with her?  
“I’m…Really?” 

“Yeah, I mean only if you want me to,” he grinned nervously. 

Betty tried to calm herself down. Nothing dangerous was happening here, she should keep a clear head.  
“Could I see some of your work? You know, for reference.” 

“Sure,” Jughead said and began to search through his bag. 

In the meantime, Betty walked up to Archie. 

“A serpent?”, she whispered accusingly, “Shouldn’t he be at Southside High?” Archie shrugged.

“Why did you take him to me?”, she wanted to know. 

“Hey, he asked me to bring him here,” Archie defended himself. Betty shook her head. 

“My Mom will never approve of this,” she muttered more to herself than to Archie. 

“Betty, you need someone to help you. Even if it’s someone like Jughead. And didn’t you just tell me yesterday that it was too much work for you?” Betty sighed. 

“Fine, I will check out his work, but if this end horribly I will blame it all on you, Archie Andrews.” Archie smiled triumphantly. 

***

After class Betty was sitting in the Blue and Gold office, drinking some tea and going through Jugheads notebooks. She hadn’t expected much, but what she read completely surprised her. Jughead was an extremely talented writer, no doubt in that. 

The most fascinating thing about it was the way he wrote. Everything she read felt real as if it was really happening to her. He had really put his soul into his work like when he wrote about pain Betty could almost physically feel it. His tales about the life on the Southside captivated her. It was like he was living in a completely different world. 

“He is good,” she whispered to herself, when slammed the notebook shut and got up. 

Her mother would never allow her to even speak with a Serpent. But she really liked Jugheads style and Archie had been right, she needed an extra pair of hands. But a Serpent? Jugheads life was probably all about drug dealing and murder. What if he dragged her into his illegal affairs? 

But Betty couldn’t stop wondering about the fact that someone like Jughead would want to write for a school newspaper. With her. She could give him a shot, even if that meant risking her own safety. 

“Archie told me you wanted to meet me?”, asked a voice from the door. Betty looked up from the article she was currently editing. Jughead Jones was casually leaning against the doorframe, his dark curls falling into his blue eyes. 

“Yes, I read some of your work… I never thought someone like you could write something like that,” she told him before she could stop herself. 

“Someone like me?”, Jughead asked, his eyebrows furrowed in question. 

“I mean…I didn’t want to…,” Betty stuttered. 

“No, I get it. I’m a Serpent. I’m from the Southside. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have an affinity for literacy and writing,” Jughead said in a calm voice as he walked over to Betty's desk collecting his notebooks. 

“I’m sorry, Jughead.” 

“You don’t have to be. I never thought someone like you would even dare to speak to me,” he admitted. 

“What do you mean?”, Betty asked confused. 

“Well, you seem like the stereotypical girl from the Northside. People like you normally despise us and treat us like dirt.” 

Betty nervously bit her lip. She knew about the never-ending war between the Northside and the Southside. Since she had been a child her mother always told her that the Serpents were dangerous. But now she was standing here, in a room with Jughead Jones. 

She thought about what her mother had told her about what the Serpents had done. But that wasn’t Jugheads fault, or was it? 

“I guess we both had prejudices then?” Jughead smiled at her, “So, Cooper, would you want me to work with you?” 

“It would be an honor,” she answered truthfully. 

***

The sun had already set when Jughead reached the trailer park. The snow was illuminated by the dimmed lights coming out of the Jones’ trailer.  
Jughead entered it and inhaled the familiar odor of alcohol. His eyes scanned the room. FP Jones sat in front of the TV, beer bottle in his hand, watching a football game. 

“How was your first day, son?”, he asked when Jughead had closed the door behind him. 

“Not as bad as I expected,” Jughead confessed and sat down on the couch next to his father. 

“Made some friends?” 

“I don’t think you could call them friends, but I made some acquaintances,” Jughead said as he picked up a slice of pizza from the coffee table in front of him. 

“See? Riverdale High isn’t that bad after all, is it?” Jughead nodded approvingly. 

He couldn’t sleep that night. There was something about that Cooper girl. The way her green eyes looked at him, there was some sadness in them. 

Maybe she wasn’t as perfect as she seemed to be. Maybe she was just as broken as he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fanfiction...I hope you like and please leave some feedback :)
> 
> Also a huge thank you to Addie, who proofread this whole thing


	2. The Whole Truth And Nothing But The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What secret has Betty been hiding? What will Jughead do, if he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2!!! Thanks for all the nice comments. My computer crashed and deleted the first chapter but I reuploaded it.   
> And a huge thank you goes to Addie (@beanie-betty), who beta-read this. Couldn't have done it without you.  
> I hope you like it. Some more sleuthing is on its way.

Jughead’s first week at Riverdale was pretty normal. Nothing exciting happened, besides the fact that he was now co-writer for the Blue and Gold.

He was sitting on the sofa, editing his latest article, as Toni’s name appeared on his phone screen. He groaned and picked it up. He had only been a week away - how bad could it possibly be?

***

“Hey, Jug, wait up!” Toni cried.

“What?!” Jughead said slightly annoyed.

Toni had told him to meet her and Sweet Pea as soon as possible. Naturally, he had driven over to the White Wyrm, but when he had discovered that his friends just wanted to grill him about his first week at Riverdale High, he had decided to leave.

“Jug, we do have something to tell you,” Sweet Pea admitted.

“What is it?” Jughead demanded, still a little disgruntled.

“Well...Tall Boy just told us that the Northsiders want to frame us for some murder or something that happened on their side of Sweetwater River.” Jughead furrowed his brows.

“A murder?” he asked his voice becoming more sincere.

“Yeah, apparently we kidnapped some girl and are holding her captive…or we have murdered her, I don’t know what exactly they accuse us of, but that means that soon, a whole police squad will be here.” Jughead clenched his jaw. Northsiders and their stupid accusations.

“We have to submerge, Jug,” Toni whispered.

“Yeah…do that…Why didn’t my dad tell me about this?” 

Toni shrugged.“Maybe he didn’t know? We called you as soon as Tall Boy told us…But you can’t go to that school, Jug. It is way too dangerous,” she warned him.

“I have to, Toni. If I don’t show up there, it would just be more suspicious,” he sighed.

“Be safe,” she said as she hugged him goodbye.

“You too,” he whispered into her hair. He really didn’t want his friends to get into any sort of danger.

***

“You did what?”, Alice Cooper looked as if Betty had just told her that she was pregnant.

“Mom, it isn’t that big of a deal.”

“Do you know who he is? He is Jughead Jones. His father is FP Jones, head of the Serpents. How could you do this after what happened to your sister?” Alice yelled, enraged.

“But it isn’t Jughead’s fault,” Betty defended.

“How can you be so sure?” Betty shook her head. She shouldn’t have told her Mom about her new co-writer.

“I just know, Mom.”

“I don’t want you to hang around with him outside of that office, do you understand?” Betty nodded. She knew her Mom just wanted to protect her.

***

As she made her way to school on Monday, Betty thought about Jughead. How could she be so sure he wasn’t guilty? What if she was wrong? But Jughead didn’t seem like a typical Serpent, at least not as far as she knew him. But then again, she only met him a week ago. 

When Jughead entered the newspaper office, Betty had already begun working on an article. Jughead walked over to her and looked over her shoulder, curious about what she was writing. When he had read the headline, he grimaced.

“You’re writing about the football team? Isn’t there anything more…exciting?” Betty chuckled lightly.

“This is Riverdale. Nothing bad ever happens here,” she repeated the sentence her parents had told her over and over again. Jughead took a seat next to Betty and began tapping his fingers lightly on the wooden desk.

“Have you heard about the girl that has been kidnapped?”

Betty suddenly began to feel very cold and goosebumps started to race up her arms. Memories flashed before her eyes. The screams, the cries she had heard that night. She could feel her nails digging into her palms. Tears shot into her eyes, but she knew how to hold them back.

“I…please…,” she stuttered. Jughead’s expression had shifted from curious to worried.

“Betty…” he began as the door opened. In the door frame stood Principal Weatherbee and Sheriff Keller.

“Jones?” Jughead nodded, but he didn’t move from Betty's side.

“You have to come with us. We want to ask you a few questions about Polly Cooper.”

“Cooper?” Jughead asked slowly, putting together the puzzle pieces.“Cooper,” he said again, and looked at a slightly trembling Betty.

“Please, we would hate to force you, Mr. Jones.” Jughead nodded slowly and followed the Sheriff through the door.

***

Veronica always knew when Betty needed her. Only a few minutes after Jughead had left the Blue and Gold office, she appeared in the door with two milkshakes from Pops and a warm smile on her face.

“Hey, B. I just heard about what happened. You okay?” Betty shook her head. She had stopped quivering, but her heart was still racing.

“What if he did it?”, she asked quietly.

“Who did what?”, Veronica said in a soft voice and sat down on the same chair that had been occupied by Jughead. 

“What if Jughead killed Polly?”

Veronica gently stroked Betty’s back. “I personally don’t know Jughead, but I don’t think he would do that…at least, I hope not. After all, he is FP Jones’ son…”

“I knew it would be a mistake letting him work here.”

“You did something good, B. And hey, you didn’t judge him because of his background. You gave him a fair chance and if he really betrayed your trust, he will know what Veronica Lodge is capable of,” Veronica threatened in a serious voice. 

Betty smiled. “Thank you, V.”

“No problem, B. But do you really think he did it? I mean he doesn’t seem like the killing type,” she asked sipping her milkshake.

“He is a Serpent, V.” Veronica nodded in agreement.

But Betty knew that Veronica was right. She knew Jughead didn’t kill Polly. She saw the look of concern on his face when he looked at her. He had seemed truly sorry.

***

Jughead hated the Sheriff. As a Serpent, one always had to avoid the police, but that didn’t mean Jughead couldn’t give an honest statement.

“Your name is Forsythe Pendleton Jones III?” Jughead began shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He hated that name.

“Yes,” he muttered.

“Look, we just want to know if you have any idea where Polly Cooper is, or what happened to her. Her parents are worried sick.”

“I have never heard her name before, nor have I ever seen her,” Jughead answered truthfully.

“Let’s say I might believe you…Do any of your Serpent friends have anything to do with it?” the Sheriff wanted to know. 

Jughead shrugged. He trusted the Serpents, but he knew that some of them were pretty nasty when it came to taking revenge on the Northsiders. Sheriff Keller shook his head and exhaled audibly.

“Can you at least tell us why the hell you are working with her sister then?”

“I really like to write, and working for the school newspaper will look good on my CV,” Jughead stated.

“Strange kid,” Sheriff murmured.

“You can go back to class for now. If the Sheriff has further questions, we are going to inform you, Mr. Jones,” the principal noted.

***

The halls of the school were empty when Jughead made his way back to the Blue and Gold office. He really hoped that Betty would still be there. He wanted to talk to her about Polly.

She knew something about her sister’s disappearance. Something she wasn’t telling anyone. Jughead needed to find out what happened to the Cooper girl before the whole Southside got cut open.  
Betty was still sitting in the same chair that he had left her in. The only alteration was the half-empty milkshake next to her. Her big green eyes were scanning him as he closed the door behind him slowly. She didn’t say a word as he sat down on the chair next to her.

“Look, Betty…I didn’t kill her, or kidnap her for that matter. I don’t know what happened to Polly, but…”

Betty’s lip was trembling as she spoke. “Maybe you don’t know, but I bet some of your Serpent friends do. You could ask them.”

Jughead could feel rage rising in him. He knew Betty probably was hurting and didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but he couldn’t help himself.

“That’s typical of you Northsiders to accuse the Serpents of committing a crime. I bet it was one of you Northsiders, but you are too cowardly to admit it. Or maybe she ran away because she couldn’t take this dull life anymore.”

“Screw you!” Betty’s voice got louder, “Who are you to speak like that? Just because you are some sort of Serpent royalty doesn’t mean you have authority here.”

“Oh, I’m sorry if I insulted Miss Perfect over here,” Jughead spat.

“Get out of my office.”

“I won’t. I am your co-writer, remember?”

“There’s nothing I regret more than that…get out before I make you leave,” she glared at him furiously.

“As much as I would like to see that, I will leave, but only because I have better things to do than to get screamed at by you,” Jughead said as he stormed out of the door.

When the door slammed shut, Betty sunk down on her chair opening her bleeding fists. The tears came easily. She took her hair out off her loose ponytail and buried her head in her knees.

How stupid could she have been to let a Serpent into her life? Her mother had been right all along.


	3. Ponytail and Leather Jacket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically, just some flirting and sleuthing...

Jughead instantly regretted leaving her. Had it really been necessary to scream at her? She did offend him, though. Stupid Northside girl. 

Today he had seen a completely new side of her. A not-so-perfect, girl-next-door Betty Cooper. She had surprised him. 

“What is it, Jug?” asked Toni, who had texted him to meet her at the Whyte Wyrm.

“Nothing…” he answered, pushing his fries around on his plate. 

“You’ve barely touched your burger.”

“I’m just worried about you,” he told her. 

“You don’t have to be, Jug. We’ll be fine.” Jughead smiled sadly. He knew his friends were tough, but he could hear the fear in Toni’s’ voice. 

“Just tell me if you need help.” Toni nodded as Sweet Pea and Fangs joined them. 

“Why the long face, Jones?” Sweet Pea teased him. 

“This whole Northside bullshit is getting on my nerves.” 

“It’s a girl, isn’t it?” Fangs asked. Toni nearly choked on her coffee. 

“What? Jughead Jones and a girl?” 

“Well, we all know you and him wouldn’t work out…” Fangs explained. 

“Yeah, that’s because Jug is like my brother. I’ve known him since he first got that goddamn beanie,” Toni stated.

Jughead had listened to their conversation in quiet amusement. 

“Cut it out, Fangs,” he chipped in. 

“As the prince commands,” Fangs said attempting a bow, which Jughead ignored.

“We came by to tell you something that is far less enjoyable,” Sweet Pea confessed. Jughead raised one of his eyebrows questioningly. 

“FP just got arrested. He is accused of the abduction and murder of Polly Cooper.” 

“What?” Jughead asked loudly as he stood up. 

Suddenly the White Wyrm went silent. Everyone was looking up to the serpent prince, their new leader. Jughead adjusted his beanie, his hand slightly trembling. This couldn’t be happening.  
“These goddamn Northsiders have clearly crossed a line,” he muttered silently to himself as tears of anger began to rise into his eyes. He threw his fist on the table furiously. The fries scattering on the floor. Toni looked at him, her face also enraged but she seemed concerned about him as well. 

“Jug…” she started, but Jughead wasn’t paying attention to her. There was only one person, he wanted to talk to right now. The only one he believed could help him to get his father out if jail.

“I have some business to attend to,” he said loudly, his voice shaking with anger as he stormed out of the bar. 

***

Jughead parked his motorcycle outside of the Chock’ lit Shoppe. The bright neon lights illuminated his sharp features. 

He found the blond ponytail he had been looking for as soon as he entered Pop’s. She was sitting alone, sipping a strawberry milkshake and staring out of the window. She didn’t notice him until he sat down across from her.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she murmured, still not looking at him. 

“I’m not here for personal reasons. I want to know what happened to your sister,” he explained calmly. 

“And what makes you think I will tell you about it?” Jughead shook his head. 

“My dad is held captive at the police station for a murder you and I both know he didn’t commit. Can you, for once, stop being so fucking stubborn and tell me the truth?” 

Betty bit her lower lip. “Look, I don’t know what happened to my sister. I would really want to help you, but…” 

“You are scared?” Jughead suggested, locking his blue eyes with her, “I promise that I won’t betray your trust, Cooper…But we have to work together here. You and I both want that maniac gone.” 

“I don’t know, Jug. My mom will never allow it,” she admitted half-heartedly. Jughead shrugged.

“So, don’t tell her then.” Betty still seemed unconvinced. 

“Betty Cooper, I will swear to protect you. No one will harm you as long as you are with me. You do know I have some authority on the Southside,” he vowed. 

“Really?”, she asked. Jughead grinned. 

“While my father is gone, I am the leader of the serpents…But I need you, Cooper. Don’t you want to find your sister?” Betty nodded slowly. 

“Then it’s settled?” he wanted to know. 

“I will help you in return for my guaranteed safety?” she concluded.

“I swear it, Betty Cooper,” Jughead said, shaking Betty’s hand. 

“Then there’s no more time to waste, Jones. Let’s begin.”

***

“What do we have so far?” Jughead asked, beginning to adjust the cardboard Betty had brought into the Blue and Gold office. 

“Well, we know that my sister was kidnapped and is probably held captive somewhere…God, what if she is hurt?”, Betty sobbed, her voice trembling. 

“All the more reason to find her. Betty…do you have any memory of what happened that night?” 

Betty tried to steady her breaths. She fought the urge to dig her nails into her palms. She needed to do this. For Polly. 

“I remember a few fragments…Like I know there was lots of screaming coming from Polly and I recall seeing the lights of the police car. My mom cried, my dad yelled. I just sat there in the corner of the room watching my parents trying to find her…I’m sorry that I am such bad help. You want to get your father out of jail and I’m just sitting here crying,” Betty apologized.

“Hey,” Jughead said calmly as he approached her, “It was a traumatic experience. The memories will come back, but right now I think we have to look for other leads, okay?” 

Betty nodded and Jughead softly smiled at her. “I didn’t want to make you cry, Cooper.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated and dried the tears with her sleeve. 

“No need to apologize. Come, sit,” Jughead ordered, pulling out a chair for her. She sat down thankfully and began digging a map of Riverdale out of her drawer.

“And you are sure she hasn’t just run away?” he asked. 

Betty shook her head. “Our parents are strict, and they can sometimes be a huge pain in the ass, but Polly would’ve never left home. At least not without telling me…Why are you giggling?” 

Jugheads smirk disappeared from his lips. “I am sorry, Coop. I just didn’t think girls like you would use a word like ass.” 

Bettys eyebrows raised in question. “Girls like me?” 

“Yeah, you know… nice girl, straight A student, cheerleader, perfect-girl-next-doorish…girlfriend of the quarterback…”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Betty interrupted him, “And if you keep on sitting over there doing absolutely nothing, I will stop being nice.”

“Excuse me, but what have you done in the last couple minutes, besides threatening me?”

“I located possible hiding places for the kidnapper. We have a few empty houses here in Riverdale. I marked them with a red X,” Betty replied, and showed Jughead the map she had been drawing on.

“God, Cooper. Is there anything you can’t do?” Jughead laughed.

“Make you do some work, apparently.” 

Jughead grinned at her, but he got up from his chair and turned his computer on. “I’ll check out some of those places and see if I can find anything.”

“Good idea, Watson,” Betty remarked as she began searching for another pen.

“What makes you think you’re Sherlock, Cooper?”

“Well, I, for instance, have not only found hiding spots but I also have some possible witnesses,” Betty asserted. She took out the blue pen she had been looking for and marked some of the houses nearest to hers with a circle. “Some of my neighbors always have an eye on the streets, maybe they know something…”

“Interrogation? Sounds pretty detective-like for me, Nancy Drew.”

“I loved that book,” Betty admitted.

“Of course you did,” Jughead said and began browsing the internet. Some of the houses Betty had mentioned did look like excellent hiding spaces, others had been torn down over the last few years. But one caught his attention. A cabin in the woods, far away from the town. They should definitely check it out. 

In the meantime, Betty had again focused on the map. Some of her blond locks had fallen out of her ponytail and framed her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration and she nervously bit her lip.   
Jughead had to use all his willpower not to stare at her when he looked up. What was he doing? She was like he had said, way out of his league. He shook his head. Betty Cooper belonged to someone like Archie Andrews. This right here was just a temporary partnership. As soon as this mystery would be lifted, he and Betty would go separate ways.

***

“Elizabeth Cooper. Do you know what time it is?” Alice Cooper towered over her daughter as Betty closed the door behind her. 

“I was working on an article for the Blue and Gold,” Betty admitted quietly. 

Alice looked at her for signs that she was lying. “What are you working on?”

“An article about the football team. Jughead says there’s something up with them winning all the time,” she answered. 

“Jughead? You are still working with that Serpent offspring?”

“So? He is an excellent writer and I don’t think the Blue and Gold would still exist without his help,” Betty stated truthfully, “And you wouldn’t want my 4.0 GPA dropping, would you Mom?

Alice shook her head. “I’m sure there are other bright minds at Riverdale High that don’t have a criminal record.”

“Well if there are, I haven’t heard of them. Please, Mom, trust me on this. Jughead isn’t his father.”

Alice Cooper sighed. “Fine, Betty, if you are so crazy about his writing, then perhaps you could me show some of it?” 

Betty smiled. “Thanks, Mom,” she said grabbing a cup of tea and heading up to her room.

Alice returned to the kitchen and watched the raindrops falling onto the window. She thought about what her daughter had just told her. Maybe Jughead Jones wasn’t like his father, but she still wanted to make sure Betty wouldn’t be in any sort of trouble. After all, the Southside was a dangerous place and Betty shouldn’t repeat the same mistakes her mother had made. 

“You will thank me for this, Betty,” Alice muttered as she picked up the phone and dialed the number to the Sheriff's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, I hope you like this chapter...Also, what is Alice up to?


	4. Hemingway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Alice
> 
>  
> 
> Also, is Jughead showing feelings?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this is a rather short chapter but I'm kinda busy right now. I hope you like it and if you want you can check out my Tumblr @christmasbughead (for festive season)

“What did you do?” Betty screamed at her mom as soon as she had shut the door behind her.

Alice Cooper stuck her head out from the kitchen. “I made some lasagne, do you want some?”

“No, Mom, what did you say to the Sheriff about Jughead?”

“Why? What happened?” Alice asked sanctimoniously.

“He had to go straight to the Principal’s office first thing in the morning and now he isn’t allowed to talk to me for whatever reason, so what did you say?” Betty urged. She didn’t break eye contact with her mother, who had abandoned the food in the kitchen and was now facing her daughter.

“I just want what’s best for you, Elizabeth. And that Jones boy…he doesn’t sound like good news to me.”

“You don’t even know Jughead, Mom. You just hate him because of what he represents. The dangerous Southside, the Serpents. But like I told you yesterday, he isn’t his father,” Betty explained.  
“Well, Betty, how can you say that when you haven’t even met FP?”

“FP? So, you guys know each other?” Betty asked, confused, and then her eyebrows furrowed, “Wait…so you don’t think Jughead’s the problem here, it’s because something happened between you and his father, right?”

Alice didn’t answer, but judging from her silence Betty knew she had been right.

“So, did you…you know?” Betty inquired. Just the mere thought of that gave her goosebumps, but she had to know the truth.

“What? No, nothing like that…” Alice shook her head vigorously. “Look, Betty, I’m not very proud of what happened, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“If you don’t want to talk about that, maybe you could tell me what you said to Sheriff Keller?” Betty demanded persistently.

“I…I told them that he…harassed you,” Alice confessed.

“You did what?” Betty asked furiously.

“I just want to keep you safe.”

“Thank you for being worried about me, but Jughead isn’t any danger, Mom. I told you so yesterday. Why didn’t you believe me?” Betty asked accusingly.

“Because I hoped I could prevent you from making the same stupid decision I made.”

Betty's eyes grew wider. “What stupid decisions?”

“Please, Betty, not now,” Alice murmured, rubbing her temples.

“If you’re not going to tell me, at least call Sheriff Keller and explain to him that everything you said was just a big misunderstanding and that Jughead isn’t guilty. Also, if you would be so inclined, I would like to invite Jughead for dinner tomorrow, so you can get to know him and see that he isn’t who you think he is.” Also, she added in her head, Jughead probably hasn’t had some warm food in days.

“Okay, fine, but promise me that you won’t tell anybody about what I told you. Including your father and that mini-serpent, understood?” Alice requested.

“Understood. I will also ask him to bring some writing, maybe you could hire him for an internship at the Register in the summer?”

“We’ll see, Elizabeth,” Alice said with her usual bitter tone.

Betty grinned. Having Alice do what she had wanted felt like a small victory. She quickly took out her mobile and texted Jughead to meet her at Pop’s.

***

Here he was again, in that dark small room he hated so much. He had to admit, he hadn’t been extremely surprised when the Sheriff asked him to come to yet another interrogation, but what had confused him was what he accused him of. Harassing Betty Cooper; as if Jughead would ever hurt the only person on this side of town that somewhat tolerated his presence.

Of course, the Sheriff hadn’t believed him when he had said that he would never dare to touch Betty Cooper.

“I don’t want to sugar-coat it, Jughead, but you are a gang member and live on the Southside, a place that is filled with crime, so you see that these charges aren’t without any reason,” the Sheriff explained.   
Except they were. How was being a member of a gang a crime? And how could being born on the alleged wrong side of town could be in any way a felony? But Jughead didn’t say any of that to Sheriff Keller. In fact, the only words he managed to say were, “I would never hurt my best friend.”

Sheriff Keller raised an eyebrow. “Your best friend?”

Instead of answering, Jughead just nodded and began playing with his beanie, which he’d had to take off when he entered the Sheriff’s office.

“Look, Jughead, I really want to believe you-“ Lie. ”-but the fact that you were here just a couple of days ago isn’t helping either. It only adds fuel to the fire that you had something to do with the mysterious disappearance of Polly Cooper. And now you’re harassing her sister? It doesn’t look too good for you,” Keller said, faking a sympathetic smile.

“Maybe I can share a bunk bed with my dad then,” Jughead murmured.

“Excuse me?”

Jughead made a repellent gesture and sunk back into his chair. The Sheriff sighed and left Jughead alone in the tiny room. He just hoped that, by some miracle, he would get out of here; and for some reason, this miracle would be Betty Cooper herself.

As if someone had heard his prayers, the door flew open a few minutes later and Sheriff Keller returned.

Ready for round two? Jughead thought, but the Sheriff looked angry and a little bit embarrassed.

“So uhm…Jughead, well…Alice Cooper just called me to tell me that all of this was just a big misunderstanding. I’m sorry if we caused you any problems.”

“I’m free to go then?” he asked, and the Sheriff nodded. Jughead put on his beanie and fled the Sheriff’s office.

“I hope we don’t see each other again soon, Jones,” the Sheriff whispered to himself.

***

The neon lights shone on her blonde hair and gave it a slight shimmer. Betty Cooper's ponytail bounced into Pop’s just a few minutes after Jughead had arrived there.

“Hey,” she whispered as she slid into the booth. Jughead smiled shortly and then straightened his position.

“Look, this little incident earlier today…was that because of our argument a couple of days ago?” Jughead asked. His voice was curious, not angry, Betty noted.

“No, I had nothing to do with it. My mom…”

“She thought I was a serial killer, who is only hanging out with you to get into your pants?” Jughead ended her sentence for her.

Betty blushed. “I’m sorry, Jug.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Jughead said softly. “Mothers aren’t a huge fan of me.”

The sadness in his voice prompted Betty to raise her eyes at him. But he was staring out of the window.

“I may have invited you for dinner tomorrow,” she admitted, “So my Mom will get to know you and see that you aren’t as dangerous as she thinks you are.”

“I’m very dangerous if I want to be, Cooper,” Jughead teased, “But thank you for inviting me over.”

“I also thought…Maybe we could, you know, check out that house after dinner tomorrow.”

“You want to go to that haunted thing?” Jughead asked, surprised.

“If Polly is there…God, Jug, I don’t know what she has to endure,” Betty murmured.

“Hey,” Jughead whispered, gently stroking her hands. She glanced up at this unexpected gesture. As she lifted her eyes to his, she saw him staring at her. She looked into his stormy blue eyes and just for this moment, all her doubts and worries went away, and she felt at ease.

“Will you come with me?” she asked him after taking a few calming breaths.

“Of course, I couldn’t let Nancy Drew walk into that house alone. You do know that there’s an abductor on the loose?” he said, beginning to eat his fries.

Betty suddenly missed his touch on her skin, but proceeded to drink her milkshake. “I appreciate you looking out for me. What would I do without you, Hemingway?”

Jughead grinned at her. “Well, for once your mother wouldn’t have anything to complain about,” he answered.

“She hates when I don’t live up to her expectations. It feels good to break her rules,” Betty confessed, a slight smile playing on her lips.

“Are you just using me to rebel against your mother’s dictatorship?” Jughead asked, amused.

“No, I also keep you around because you are a pretty good writer, Jones.”

Jughead smiled and finished his burger. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

Luckily, Jughead began searching for his money so he couldn’t see Betty blush. “I’ve got it,” she told him.

“What? No, you already invited me over for dinner, Cooper. Besides, you only had a milkshake, whilst I consumed half of Pop’s,” he remarked. Betty giggled, but she let him pay.  
“See you tomorrow, Cooper,” Jughead said as Betty put on her coat.

“I expect you to show up at seven, not a minute later,” Betty ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jughead said smiling. His eyes stared at her lips for a second, and Betty caught herself thinking what she would she do if he did kiss her right now.

But a minute later Jughead had already reached his bike and Betty gave him a little wave as he disappeared into the night.


	5. Young and in love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead comes over to the Cooper house for dinner.

 

 

Betty fixed her ponytail nervously. Did she look good? Was the mascara too much? She had to remind herself that it was just Jughead coming over. Just her co-editor from the  _ Blue & Gold _ . Just the boy who transferred here a few days ago. The serpent. 

 

Still…Betty couldn’t forget him looking at her lips and the thought of his lips on hers. No, she was going too far. These sorts of thoughts were too inappropriate. They were hardly friends, and this could ruin everything. She had to play it cool today.  She took a deep breath and emerged from her room. 

 

Down in the kitchen, she could already hear her mother moving some pans. Betty looked at the clock when she reached the bottom of the stairs. It was five minutes to seven. He could be here any minute. Why was she so goddamn nervous? 

 

“When is Snake Plissken going to show up?” Alice's voice asked from the kitchen when Betty approached the dining room and began laying the table. She was kind of glad her father still had to work so Jughead would get interrogated by just one of her parents; though, Alice was by far the worse of the two.

 

Betty sighed. This had been the third time today she had asked her. “At seven, Mom.”

 

She heard her mother exhale loudly. She was such a dramatic. “I swear to god, Betty, if you ever get involved with him…”

 

“Then what, Mom?” she asked as she entered the kitchen, looking at her mother curiously. “What are you going to do then?”

 

“What do you mean? You are not going to go out with this…this criminal,” she spat, holding a wooden spoon in the one and waving at Betty with the other hand.

 

“You can’t tell me what I can do or not, Mom. I’m old enough to make my own choices.”

 

Alice opened her mouth to fire back, but the knock at the door kept her from saying anything. 

 

“Just play nice for one evening, okay?” Betty said suppliantly. Alice rolled her eyes but nodded.

 

Betty fumbled at the hem of her blue blouse and slowly went to open the door. Before she turned the knob, she lifted her hands to check her ponytail again.  _ Stop being so goddamn nervous, Cooper _ , she told herself. 

 

As she opened the red door, a cold breeze came in. I  _ shouldn’t have worn a skirt _ , she thought. But when she saw Jughead, those thoughts flew away in a second.

 

He looked different. He had left his leather jacket at home and had traded it in for a red Sherpa one. Though he still wore his iconic crown-shaped beanie, more of his dark locks had escaped its woolen prison. His stormy blue eyes wandered over her and settled a little too long on her legs, which made Betty blush. 

 

“Hi,” she whispered quietly, and gave him the brightest smile.

 

***

 

After standing in the cold for five minutes bringing up the courage to knock on Betty Cooper's door, Jughead was extremely happy he finally had gotten into the house. He had to say, the Cooper residence was far more elegant than his shabby trailer. Would it have been different if he had grown up on the Northside? Would he have been friends with that Andrews boy? Would he have known Betty since they were kids? He would never know.

 

“Come, sit,” Betty said politely, and pointed at one of the chairs, “The food will be ready soon.” 

 

“Thank you, Betty,” Jughead said and smiled at her. She blushed a little and then left the room to join her mother in the kitchen. Even though Jughead didn’t want to look, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her legs. Did she really have to wear a skirt? 

 

What was he doing? Betty Cooper was way out of his league. She had invited him because that was who she was, a nice person. Maybe also because she wanted to make her mother angry. Jughead sighed. He shouldn’t feel that way about her. He could get her in danger, but still…she had agreed to help him and there had been something in her eyes when she asked him to come over. Something he still couldn’t quite point out. He shook his head. 

 

_ Get a grip, Jones. _

 

A few minutes later, Betty came back with the food. Behind her was her mother. Alice Cooper shot Jughead an annoyed look and sat down. 

 

“So, Jug-head, Betty tells me you transferred school recently. Why?” she asked curiously, one of her eyebrows forming a perfect arch. 

 

“My dad thought that if I wanted to study later in life, I should go to a more sophisticated school than Southside High.”

 

“And why did you want to join the school newspaper? Did you want to check out how much we Northsiders knew about the murders of my daughter? Or did you want to keep Betty as a hostage?” Alice demanded, her voice getting louder and louder. 

 

“ _ Mom _ ,” Betty warned her and look apologetically to Jughead, whose eyes had gotten darker.

 

“I joined the newspaper because I already ran the one at Southside High, and I was told I was a pretty good writer. Mrs. Cooper, I know you won’t believe me, but I never have or ever will harm your daughter, nor did I have anything to do with Polly’s abduction,” he said with a calm voice, but in his eyes, Betty could see the rage. 

 

“Well then, Jug-head, I read some of the articles you wrote for the Blue and Gold and I have to say they are well written. If you really meant what you just said, then I will be glad to offer you an internship during the summer.”

 

Betty looked up and shot her mother a surprised glance. 

 

“This is a really generous offer, Mrs. Cooper,” Jughead said, “I will have to talk to my father about this, but I would be happy to work for you.”

 

***

 

For the next ten minutes, nobody talked and they all finished their meal quietly. Betty wanted to get up to do the dishes, but her mother told her she should entertain their guest. 

 

“Look, Jug, I’m sorry about what she said…She can be…you know,” Betty stuttered. 

 

“It’s okay, Betty. She is just looking out for you. Maybe more so than other parents, but still,” Jughead said softly. Betty nodded. 

 

“I guess you’re right…So, you want to check out that house tomorrow after school?” she asked him.

 

“Absolutely. It’s a date.”

 

Bettys face froze, and she looked at him in surprise. His blue eyes were fixated on a spot behind her left ear. Did he just say what she thought he said?

 

“ _ What _ ?”

 

“That was a joke. Sorry, Betty, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just meant if we have to, we can totally check out this haunted house,” he explained himself. 

 

_ Of course, it was a joke. Geez, Cooper, what were you thinking? As if the serpent prince would ask  _ you _ out on a date,  _ she thought. He probably had hundreds of girls lining up just to be with him. What was she expecting? 

 

“I better get going before your mom returns with more questions,” Jughead said quietly.

 

“Okay, so see you tomorrow?” Betty proposed.

 

“Sure,” Jughead grinned and followed Betty to the door. “Thank you for the food. It was delicious. Bye, Betts.”

 

He turned around, but Betty grabbed the hem of his flannel. “Jug, wait,” she whispered. 

 

“What is it?” he said, just as quietly. 

 

“I just…I just wanted to say that you didn’t scare me with what you said…I was just surprised, that’s all,” she admitted, a blush covering her cheeks again. 

 

Jughead smiled down at her. An honest smile. She felt his eyes on her lips and she exhaled sharply. 

 

“Bye, Cooper,” he whispered and turned around, leaving a mildly confused Betty on the porch of her house. 

 

Jughead was glad that Betty could only see his back when he approached his motorcycle, because he hadn’t been able to hide his grin. Had she really been serious when she told him she wouldn’t mind him taking her out on a date? Was it possible that…?  _ No _ , Jughead told himself, _ you have to let it go _ . But when he looked back at the red door that marked the entrance of the Cooper’s house he could see her standing there, a few of her golden locks escaping her ponytail and he had a strange feeling in his gut that he wasn’t able to shake. What had this girl done to him? 

 

At the other end of the garden, Betty Cooper watched the black motorcycle disappear into the night. She took a deep breath before returning to her room, where she let herself fall onto her bed. Jughead Jones had triggered something inside of her. When he had looked at her it was as if something had shifted inside of her. She felt liberated. It couldn’t be. She had been in love before, and never had it felt like this.  _ So, maybe it isn’t love. How could it be? You’ve only known him for a few days. _ But still, there was something between them, and Betty was going to find out what it was. She would use all her Nancy Drew powers on it.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this update took so long, but I was really busy...Also sorry that it's really short, but the next chapter is going to be longer, I promise


	6. Haunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jughead use their detective skills and check out that cabin. Also featuring angry!Alice and Jughead showing feelings.

 

 

Betty was pretty glad when school ended on Friday. All day, she had been equally excited and nervous to go to that small cabin with Jughead. She still didn't know how she felt about him. But whenever his blue eyes found hers, Betty had a strange feeling in her gut. Never had she felt that way when she had been pining for Archie years back. When she saw Jughead, every worry was washed away and all she could think about was him. There was something dangerous, yet comforting about him, something Betty couldn't quite figure out. 

 

Jughead Jones waited for her in front of the school's entrance, leaning on his motorcycle. When he saw her, his face lit up immediately, and his smile made her heart skip a beat.  _ What was wrong with her? What had this boy done to her?  _

 

Betty shook her head. She knew she shouldn't be contemplating about Jughead and her feelings towards him right now, though she promised herself to return to her thoughts once this was over. But for now, Polly was the more urgent issue. 

 

"I'm not getting on this...thing," Betty proclaimed as she reached Jughead and his vehicle. 

 

"Oh come on, Cooper, it's way faster than walking or taking the bus.You can take my helmet if you want to," Jughead suggested, stretching out his arm to give her a black helmet with a little crown carved into it. Betty smiled at the sight of the familiar shape.

 

"Okay, fine...just drive carefully," Betty muttered, taking the helmet and placing it on her golden locks. She heard Jughead chuckle lightly as he started the engine.

 

"You have to hold tight if you don't want to fall off, Betty," he instructed her. Hesitantly, Betty linked her arms in front of his chest, where she could feel it rise and fall. 

 

When Jughead drove off, she closed her eyes and felt the wind on her face. Scared that she might fall off if she opened her eyes, Betty held tighter and turned her head to Jughead's back, where she could smell the leather of his jacket mixed with the smell of nicotine and soap. And even though Betty was too scared to look, she trusted in Jughead to bring her wherever she needed to be, and to bring her there safely. 

 

A few minutes later, the motorcycle slowed down, and Betty finally opened her eyes. They had reached the beginning of the Sweetwater forest. Jughead stopped his bike and Betty hopped off, handing his helmet back to him. 

 

The cabin was located in a small glade not far from the edge of the forest. It was covered  in ivy, which made it look even shabbier than the broken windows indicated. Betty gulped when they approached the rest of what had probably once been a wooden door. 

 

"This is just like in those horror movies, isn't it?" Betty whispered quietly as she stepped over the broken doorframe. Jughead didn't answer her, but he nodded and followed her. 

 

The interior of the house was much better to look at than the outside. Most of the stairs seemed to have broken off and there were spider webs everywhere. Through the broken windows, a small autumn breeze came in and swirled up the leaves that had fallen through them.

 

"So let's split up," Betty proposed bravely, but her shaky voice indicated the opposite.

 

"Have you never seen a horror movie, Cooper? Splitting up gets you killed," Jughead muttered, but when he saw the fear in Betty's eyes, he quickly added, "I'm just saying that this isn't safe. We should search together."

 

Betty nodded and pulled out a flashlight because, while it was still daytime outside, the light didn't quite get through the small windows. 

 

"Of course Nancy Drew would come prepared," Jughead chuckled when he saw her flashlight.

Betty wanted to fire back a witty response, when something to her left moved and she jumped. Luckily, it had just been a mouse that had run past them. In her shock, Betty didn't realize that she had grabbed Jughead's hand, but he had noticed. While Betty was letting out a relieved sigh, he froze on the spot and looked down to their linked fingers. It was like he had been struck by lightning. He suddenly felt very warm and cold at the same time and his chest seemed to swell.  _ What was this? _ She was just holding his hand because she got scared. She probably hadn't even noticed it. 

 

However, he didn't have the opportunity to make Betty aware of the fact that she was, in fact, holding his hand, because she had already pulled him behind her to the first room. Jughead just shrugged and let her guide him. 

 

Her hand was warm against his palm and it still sent electric sparks through his body. And he saw her clearer now. How a few of her blonde locks had escaped her ponytail and framed her face. How the eyebrows above her emerald green eyes furrowed in concentration while she was scanning the room for clues. How she nervously bit her lip when she couldn't find anything. Betty looked a little bit disappointed, but she proceeded to drag Jughead from room to room and he didn't mind. 

 

After an hour of searching and not finding anything but a lot of spiders and a weirdly shaped piece of wood, Betty let out a defeated sigh.

 

"She isn't here, Juggie," she whispered as she lowered herself to sit on porch. Jughead sat down beside her and laid his arm around her shoulder, rubbing small circles on her right upper arm. 

 

"We will find her, Betty, I promise."

 

She lifted her gaze from the ground and her green eyes found his blue ones. He could see that there were tears in them and it broke his heart. 

 

"Thank you, Juggie...but what if we never find her? What if it's too late? What if she's... Betty sobbed, and the tears began running down her face. Jughead felt his heart shatter. 

 

"Hey, hey, Betty. Don't cry. We will find her. Your sister is a fighter and so are you. You are the strongest person I know and if anyone's going to find her it'll be you, okay? I mean, you even came out here to this scary and probably haunted cabin to look for her," he tried to calm her down. Betty nodded silently but she didn't stop crying. Tentatively, Jughead raised his hand to her cheek and brushed off her tears. 

 

"And you even got involved with me, someone who belongs to one of the most dangerous gangs. I mean, Betty, what you did took a lot of courage."

 

Betty gave him a little smile. "I'm glad you’re here, Juggie."

 

"Don't give up, Betts," Jughead whispered as Betty rested her head against his chest and they both watched the sun setting through the trees. 

 

***

 

Alice Cooper was furious when her daughter returned home that evening. Her dark blond locks nearly seemed to steam.

 

"Elizabeth Cooper, where were you? You were supposed to come home after school," she reminded Betty, who just slid her backpack off her shoulder and shot her mother an annoyed glare. 

 

"I was just at the Blue and Gold finishing up on an article with Jughead," Betty explained calmly and approached the stairs.

 

"With that mini serpent? Betty, if you hang around with these sort of people, at least call me and tell me about it," Alice demanded.

 

"I will, Mom," Betty called from the stairs and went up to her room, where she let herself fall onto her duvet. 

 

They hadn't found Polly. Betty had been convinced that she would have been held hostage in that cabin. She had been sure that she was alive but what if she wasn't? What if her mother was right and Polly had been murdered?  _ No, that couldn't be. _ Betty felt it. She felt that Polly was still alive; maybe it was some sisterly bond. But she had to find her. Betty couldn't sit here doing nothing like her mother and waiting for the police to find a clue. 

 

Betty waited until her parents went to bed and then snuck out of her room. The corridor was dark, and Betty used the flashlight of her phone to guide her the way to Polly's bedroom.

 

Polly's bedroom was a little bit dusty. Betty switched off the flashlight because the blinds in Polly's room were up, and the moon was casting its light through the window. 

 

"There has to be something in here. Some clue or a note or..." Betty muttered. As she searched the room, her eyes caught the corner of what seemed to be a piece of paper sticking out from behind her sister's mirror. Betty came closer to the mirror and pulled carefully on the edge. It wasn't a piece of paper though, it was a photograph taken only a few weeks prior, as the date on the bottom indicated. It showed Polly on the side of a tall, good-looking, ginger-haired boy.

 

"Jason," Betty whispered, "Of course." She took the photograph and returned to her room soundlessly. 

 

Jason Blossom had been Polly's boyfriend until a few months ago, when they split up. Sadly, Jason didn't take the break-up so well and when Polly began seeing other guys, he had become jealous, even though they weren't together anymore. He had started stalking Polly and writing threatening messages until his parents - after a long talk with the Sheriff and Polly's parents - had decided to give him into the care of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, a facility which took care of troubled youths. 

 

Betty turned the photo around and saw words scribbled on the side of a paper. She recognized the handwriting instantly; Polly's had always been similar to her own:  

 

_ Betty, if you are reading this, come to our hiding spot. I'll be there. _

 

"Our hiding spot," Betty echoed.  _ What did she mean by that? _ They didn't have a hiding spot. As little kids, they would always play in their garden, and when they were older they both pretty much stayed in their room. Perhaps Betty had forgotten what Polly meant.

 

Betty ran her hand through her golden locks and went over to her closet where she kept her old diaries. Maybe she would find a clue in one of them. She pulled out the very first one that Archie had given her for her sixth birthday, back when she had just learned how to write. Naturally, it was filled with spelling errors, but they made sixteen-year-old Betty smile as she sat down at the foot of her bed and flipped through the pages. On the sixth of August, she found a small drawing of Polly and herself and a third stick-figure standing next to many cars and a small house. Underneath, it said in big slightly groggy letters: 

 

_ Our secreat hayding spot _

 

"The drive-in," Betty murmured. She remembered going there all the time with Kevin and Archie, but it had been years since she and Polly had gone there. The more Betty thought about it, the more she remembered them hiding in the old house next to the drive-in and their mother angrily yelling out for them. She also remembered someone else being there. Betty looked at the drawing again. 

The one on the left was obviously Polly, as her long yellow-colored hair indicated, and in the middle, Betty could see her iconic ponytail. The third person had a dark cloud around its head and on top something that looked like...

 

"A crown," Betty whispered running her fingers over the page again, and then she realized who the third person had been. Quickly, she reached for her phone and dialed the last number on her call list.

 

"Can you come over? We need to talk. Now," Betty whispered insistently.

 

On the other end, a tired voice mumbled, "What is it now, Nancy Drew?"

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fanfiction...I hope you like and please leave some feedback :)
> 
> Also a huge thank you to Addie, who proofread this whole thing


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